St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-12-03
FALLING INTO LINE.
The Sentiment in Favor of One
State Rapidly Growing in the
Black HiilS---An Error Discov-
cred in the Proposed Survey of
the Reservation.

State haptuty GROWING IN the
Black HiIIs---An Error Discov-
cred in the Proposed Survey of
the Reservation.
Special to the Globe.
RAPID CITY, Dec. 2.-Political inter-
est seems to have revived rather than
died out in the Black Hills since the
election. This is due to two questions,
viz: Increased interest in the reserva-
ton opening movement. and the antici-
pated effect upon the Black Hills cOun-
ties of admission as one state. which is
now conceded to be conclusion as the
result of the election. DiviSiOniStS of
both parties. while protesting that they
do not back down from their opinions
that the state ought to be admitted in
two parts, cOncede that the small major
ity for division will probably have the
effect to strengthen the movement
for admission undivided, and that
they shall not further resist or
agitate if it becomes apparent that the
territory can obtain united statehood.
As the result seems to increase the
chances for getting into the Union, the
desire for even that enfranchisement
becomes stronger with those who have
protested that they would rather stay
out forever than come in thus. An out
come of this movement of the majority
over to the minority opinion is steps to-
wards having the Black Hills repre-
scented in the coming Aberdeen cOnyen-
ton. a call for mass convention of
all parties for that purpose is out in
DeadwOod, and has the signatures of
representative diviSiOniStS, Republican
as well as Democratic. A similar
wifi conn NO 70
this bennington county, which gave a
majority against division, to the I'M
bounded establishment of the friends of
segregation. The admiSSiOn-at-any-
price feeling is dominant now, and if
that sentiment grows as rapidly here
after as it has since election, before Jan.
l the Black Hills will be practically
united
FOR ADMISSION AS ONE STATE.
Anticipating this event, speculation
is already active as to the effects of such
statehood upon the Black Hills, Isolated
as they are from both North and South
Dakota. No fear is felt by our repre-
sentative men but that the Hills can for
long time protect their own interests
in state conventions and legislatures by
virtue of
HOLDING A BALANCE OF POWER
between the antagOniZing interests of
the North and South sections. This
balance has in the past given the Hills
their full share of power, Insignificant
as they were numerically. The judicial
position of the monkey dividing the
cheese between the litigant cats was
really a soft snap. Perusal of the re-
turns upon the division and prohibition
questions has not tended to impair the
confidence of our statesmen in their
ability to take care of this section in a
state machine.
But even with the assured prospect in
the grand Empire state of the West that
the Black Hills could ''plunder the
cOrDSes of both sides with judicial i'm
partiality," (as Gen. Fitzpatrick said of
the guerrillas), it is doubtful if the Hills
would not prefer to have the reSerya-
ton opened to statehood. provided they
cannot have both. 1t is the fear that,
trying to obtain too much at Washing
ton, may prevent our getting anything
that most concerns our people at this
time; that the statehood movement this
winter may fail and postpone the OPEN
ing of the reservation and leave US for
the next three of five years precisely
where we are now. The fear is gener-
ally felt that visiting Dakota statesmen
at Washington may again
BITE OFF MORE THAN THEY CAN CHEW.
While grabbing after the shadow of
statehood in the water we may lose the
substance of reServation-Opening nearly
within our grasp. Some wise counsel
is hoped for among our friends in the
capital to bring them to pool their is
sues and seize the attainable.
AprOpoS Of the reservation bill: 1t
was shown to your reporter to-day that
the description of the land in the
reservation to be purchased and thrown
open is defective-will not plat, as the
surveyors say. The bill proposes to
take into the public domain a strip of
land lying between the Cheyenne river
on the east and north and to have as its
southern boundary line projected due
east from the junction of Rapid river
with the Big Cheyenne until it strikes
the White river, thence to follow the
stream eastward to its mouth. Now,
line east from the mouth of Rapid creek
will not meet the White river at all. as
it does not at any place in its course lie
as far north as the junction of Rapid
and Cheyenne rivers. If the Dawes bill
were to pass in this form it would invite
contests between settlers and the | l.
dian nation on account of disputed ter
ritOry, and ultimately compel the pur-
chase of large strip of additional ter
ritOry from the Indians to make good
the government stftfe to settlers. The